MelBoy

Hi C.netters! this instrument has sold for a pretty healthy price (£4800 ish), as I’m sure many will have noticed. I didn’t want to post the link below whilst the auction was in progress, although the C.net thread was there for anyone to research. ….this is the Jeffries English I previously owned, and which is now in the possession of a player and musician deserving of its merits. Judging simply by ‘my’ Jeffries English, these are instruments of outstanding quality -and yes -they have the honk! There is every chance there may be a few more out there… Mike R

Hi all, … as a former (heavy) concertina player and now a thoroughgoing melodeon player, I would observe that I’ve experienced this problem in the cold, on both instruments. the point is … melodeon reeds are not held in slots, but embedded in wax (mostly). On a cold day, there are several notes on my Erica that seize on one reed, but free up with playing. I've always put the matter down to the temperature having a differential effect on the metals of the tongue and the reedplate… it’s worse on a Jeffries than a lachenal possibly because of the finer tolerance of the former…? Also, you can often “play out the problem” getting the reed to function a bit, then better, then completely free…. (Maybe Vibration/activity generating just enough temperature to clear the tolerance?) I’m not dismissing the wood/slot expansion suggestion, merely suggesting that (as with so many complex problems) it’s maybe not a matter of “either/ or” but could be either/both in different instruments/reeds/situations. The fact is that reed tongue tolerances are sometimes incredibly minute/fine …(and reed tongues are not always precisely centred!) … so for any given reed, either the ‘wood-pinch’ or differential metal expansion could be responsible! cheers Mike Rowbotham

Hi Ken, yes, it is indeed a CG!! How could I miss that out?! cheers Mike

Hi C.netters, OK .... the buyer for the Dipper Pride of Albion has now withdrawn his offer. I have to accept the situation, though it is slightly perplexing given the enthusiasm of his initial request and assurances. Moreover, this withdrawal was without either seeing further photos nor hearing a sound file.... C'est la vie! ... He was most apologetic ; we have all had buyers remorse and we will all remain friends! Other people are welcome to contact me but I would prefer first to do a bit more research on the previous owner, as I am clearly mistaken in its provenance. Colin I am sure will be able to assist. I will also supply further photos (I have taken these but they need to be made web-friendly, or reduced in MBytes or whatever...this is where a digital wife is very handy!) I will also make a recording and upload a soundfile to my Soundcloud site. finally the layout I have checked .... this is a slightly modified Wheatstone layout, with a low A on the draw 1st button inner row left hand, as found in Jeffries (this is a bespoke reed, stamped A, and has not been not tuned down) ... Also both C# reeds are on the same button, the second accidental on Right, the first accidental being F#/D#. Other than this, the layout is standard Wheatstone. The drone is D/D. I hope this helps, and let the merry-go-round continue......I'd better see if I can muster a few decent tunes on the Anglo! cheers mike R

Hi Wolf, thanks for for the prod! ... I'm going to have a go at uploading some shots of the reedpans etc now ... Cheers Mike (btw the J English remains with me at present)

Hi Devils dream, not solid silver ... I guess its silver plate! cheers mike

Crumbs Robin, ... My sincere Apologies ... I was sure it was you that it originally came from!! The only other contact on that side of the pond I have is Paul Read, and I will ask him. I am sure he will remember. I'll also ask Colin and Rosalie, who I know reasonably well. I do know that a pair of these was originally ordered and that the seller retained one, which he continued to play. I did honestly think it was you!! I send my best wishes and please accept my sincere apologies for the statement, and the error! I'll also let you know what I discover. Mike Rowbotham

A reputable buyer has just come forward for this instrument, and asked me to consider it sold, which I do. best wishes!

Beautiful C/G Rosewood-ended 30 button Lachenal Anglo for sale; number 140,673. These rosewood-ended Lachenal Anglos are much sought after instruments for both English and Irish music. These concertinas may not be in the league of a Wheatstone or Jeffries, but they are great players. They are responsive and have a classic concertina tone that is bold and full; and many players prefer the sound of a wooden-ended instrument to a metal ended one. This is one of the fastest and loudest of these Lachenals I’ve played. This concertina was previously advertised unrestored. It is now fully restored, tuned, with new pads and valves and new set of 6-fold bellows from the excellent Pete O'connor. As the photos show, the reeds are pristine with no hint of rust or age, the chamois chamber linings are clean and the reedpans fit nice and tightly into the ends. I play mostly Irish music on the anglo and in my experience it is unusual to find a Lachenal that will knock out reels like this one. Price is - £1600 + postage. I will add link to a sound-file when I've had the chance to make one. I will also add some further internal photos of the instrument. I'm happy to arrange Skype/FaceTime chat to view the concertina and discuss. I'm also happy for anyone to play and /or collect from Cornwall, and I regularly make trips from Cornwall to London. As regards postage, I am well used to wrapping and dispatching melodeons world-wide and happy to send this overseas at the buyer's expense and risk. I generally use Parcelforce Global Priority, which is tracked and signed for. Within the UK I would recommend Royal Mail Special Delivery, which provides insurance against loss to the insurance £2,000 for approx £30.00. If you are interested, please contact me by pm. The customary donation to Cnet will be made if a sale results. Mike Rowbotham (UK based)

Colin Dipper Pride of Albion Anglo for sale For sale is my beautiful Pride of Albion 36 button Anglo made by Colin Dipper. I have owned the instrument for approximately 12 years; it previously belonged to the illustrious Robin Harrison who, as I understand, commissioned 2 of these instruments and still retains one. All of Colin's instruments are superb as we know ... I've never played one that was not excellent. But the Pride of Albion is a true Rolls Royce model amongst Colin's concertinas. It is standard size 6¼ inches across the flats. It has raised sterling silver ends with stunning fretwork, the buttons are ebony, the sides a beautiful polished dark rosewood. The hand rails are one of Colin's special ergonomic shapes, designed to make the instrument feel easier in one's hands. The tone, volume and action are simply awesome. The instrument is dated 1986, and numbered 110. My reason for buying this specific instrument is that I play Irish music ... This instrument really asserts itself in a session with great tone and projection. And the generously sized ebony buttons are a real plus. I've owned a string of Wheatstones and Jeffries over the years and always preferred bone buttoned Jeffries because when you hit the buttons - the buttons move instantly. The action on this Dipper is similarly easy and absolutely instant. My reason for selling is simple ... I no longer play the concertina. I now play the melodeon exclusively, plus a bit of fiddle. I wish I'd had this Dipper in my 'heyday' back when I was playing with the Norfolk Irish bunch, who I greatly admire and miss. I could name-drop a few notable people who have played this concertina over the years and admired it but I don't think that's cool to do on a public forum. I'm happy to answer any questions and supply further photos. I will attach a soundfile when I've made one. I also will provide the layout, which I am pretty sure is Wheatstone layout. (I've just hit the limit of upload size with a single photo. Over the next day or so I will reduce the file sizes and upload a complete set including internals.) Price is £6,500 + postage. The original case is included. I'm happy to arrange Skype/FaceTime chat to view the concertina and discuss. I'm also happy for anyone to play and /or collect from Cornwall, and I regularly make trips from Cornwall to London. As regards postage, I am well used to wrapping and dispatching melodeons world-wide and happy to send this overseas at the buyer's expense and risk. I generally use Parcelforce Global Priority, which is tracked and signed for. Within the UK I would recommend Royal Mail Special Delivery, although the insurance on this extends to a maximum of £2,500 cover against loss. If you are interested, please contact me by pm. The customary donation to Cnet will be made if a sale results. Mike Rowbotham (UK Cornwall based)

Hi Mike, thanks for your posts ...and apologies for not responding but I've been ferociously busy. I'll try to ring you tomorrow..... cheers Mike R

HI Pikey, yes, it has indeed sold! It is currently en route to its new owner, who thankfully wants it as a playable duet - not for its parts. We're looking forward to seeing you both this summer! Mike

Hi Cnetters, For Sale; a beautiful 58 key Jeffries Brothers duet concertina + original leather case; layout in the key of C. Price £1800 + postage. This was overhauled - including a beautiful new set of 7-fold bellows - by Steve Dickinson 20+ years ago; it’s in excellent cosmetic and playing condition. The instrument came to me in part exchange. I do not play duet, but this is far too good an instrument to be raided for its reeds and other parts. The pads, valves, bushing and chamber-linings have all been replaced and the instrument responds beautifully; the bellows are easy to play and supple. I’m told there is a growing number of players of the duet system … well, here’s a golden opportunity. We are located in Cornwall; prospective buyers are welcome to view before bidding. But we’re a long way from everywhere! I’d love this to go through C.net - the usual donation will be made. Cheers Mike Rowbotham

Hi Takayuki, Roger and Wayman, does anyone have photos of the fretted ends of one of the wood-ended Jeffries English? I've seen a few of the wooden-ended anglos and the fretwork is very simple (though they can sound great). cheers Mike R

Hi to all; Offers are invited for a rare – possibly unique – Jeffries English concertina; Raised fretted ends, Praed Street address, riveted action, with 5-fold gold embossed bellows. This is a 48 button Tenor instrument … ie it has additional low notes going town to low C, but without some of the highest notes found on a standard treble. From my research, Jeffries English concertinas are rarities with perhaps half a dozen known to exist; the majority of these are wooden-ended. The Horniman Museum does have one metal-ended English Jeffries concertina; an instrument with typical Jeffries flat-ends. The instrument in this listing has raised metal-ends, ebony trim and embossed bellows as found on the best quality Jeffries anglos and duets. It carries the Praed Street address on the escutcheon. The condition of the instrument is remarkable. When I received it, it played immediately ‘out of the box’ … it required only light cleaning, new thumb straps, pads and valves. The tuning was excellent and I have not needed to touch the reeds other than to free a couple of tongues that were sticking. There are two small pieces of ebony trim missing … shown in the photos below. The photos also show the instrument in its original condition (see broken thumb-straps), with original valves and also with new valves and pads. The reeds are in outstanding condition – with very clean tongues and frames and carrying only light and professional tuning marks. The reed-pans fit snugly into the ends, the chamber gaskets are very clean, signifying little air-loss. The fretted ends are almost untarnished. The riveted action is unworn and the metal buttons bushed and felted. The 5-fold bellows are lightly scuffed but seem to be strong and are completely airtight. The papers appear to be black, but with a layer of stain that rubs off easily to reveal what appear to be plain tan papers underneath; the black stain has been left in place. What does it sound like? It sounds exactly like a Jeffries! I am a lifelong anglo player and over the years I have owned many Jeffries, Wheatstone and Lachenal anglos. I have also had many good quality English concertinas pass through my hands. Many fine English concertinas sound (to my ear) either too polite or rather shrill. This is the first English concertina I have ever heard that has the rich tone so characteristic of the Jeffries sound. It doesn’t have the sharp edgy ‘brashness’ of some of the earliest Jeffries; more the clarion ‘snarl’ typical of the fine mid-period and Praed Street Jeffries. I am not an English concertina player, but those who have played the instrument have all agreed that it has an exceptional tone. They also said it is heavy for an English concertina … the actual weight is 1.6 Kg … slightly more than my 36 button Dipper Pride of Albion which weighs 1.51 Kg. It measures fractionally under 6.5 inches across the flats. As I am not an English concertina player I have had to ask others to play the instrument for me to record. There is a soundfile on my soundcloud site – this normally used to illustrate my work on melodeons. In truth, it’s not the best recording in the world, but the player was used to the standard Treble layout and was confused by the additional low notes of the Tenor. The direct link is … https://soundcloud.com/microbot-2 Colin and Rosalie Dipper have seen the instrument as have Nigel and Sarah Sture. Finding this instrument and realising what a rarity it is was exciting enough, but to hear the instrument deliver such a fine tone was just a joy. I am a musician and I love the music we play… a rarity is always interesting … but in the end it is the qualities as a musical instrument that matter. Needless to say I would like this instrument to go to a good player. In terms of value, I would place this concertina alongside the best Jeffries and Dipper anglos. We are all aware that English concertinas usually command a lower price than anglos, but its rarity and quality would, I argue, certainly make up for this. I would prefer not to take part in an open discussion on price/value on C.net. I suggest people pm me directly if they wish to make an offer ... I will treat all these exchanges with confidence and treat everyone with respect. In the past, I have been in negotiation for a concertina only to be suddenly informed it had been sold. I know the feelings involved and will make sure I communicate fully with people who have taken the trouble to correspond with me. I am also looking forward to the information and queries that are raised by this thread. Not least; are there any other Jeffries English concertinas of this type and, if not, why this one? For whom might this instrument have been made? I will attempt to answer any detailed questions on the instrument itself as fully as I can and will happily supply more photos/facts/data. If anyone is visiting Cornwall or prepared to make the trek down to the far West, they are welcome to come and play the Jeffries. Cheers to all on Concertina.net. Mike Rowbotham

Hi everyone, I've been asked whether the instruments are standard size - ie 6 1/4 inches across, which both of them are. I've also been asked for further pictures including reeds and reedpans which I'll do at the earliest opportunity... hopefully later today. cheers Mike R

Hi C.netters, I’ve two very nice Lachenal Anglos for sale. The first is a fully restored 32 button metal ended Salvation Army instrument; number 144,230. The second is an unrestored 30-button Rosewood ended; number 140,673 – both are in C/G and both are excellent players. The metal-ended Salvation Army instrument came originally from Chris Algar – I bought it from the owner 2 years ago, since when it has been used very little. The pads, valves and springs were all replaced and it is responsive with a beautiful tone. The chrome end-plates are slightly pitted and the bellows have minor repairs, but they are completely airtight and serviceable. The bellows are gold embossed with black/gold bellows-papers with the letter ‘L’ on each – presumably signifying Lachenal. This instrument has a really lovely tone – it is not as loud as the Rosewood instrument but has a more ‘composed’ sound - it plays Morris, Playford and French tunes beautifully. The Rosewood instrument is one of the fastest and loudest Lachenals I’ve ever played. It is largely unrestored … I fitted new pads from Nigel Sture to allow the instrument to be played, so prospective buyers can assess it. But it will need new springs and valves and tuning - it is currently in original High Pitch so will need to be brought to Concert Pitch. The reeds are in excellent condition; the reedpans fit very snugly and the chamber-leathers are nice and clean. This instrument is definitely a candidate for an ‘action upgrade’ … I play mostly Irish music on the anglo and in my experience it is unusual to find a Lachenal that will knock out reels like this one - even though it’s unrestored. The volume is absolutely prodigious. The bellows, whilst they are reasonably airtight, are stained and over the years have been poorly repaired in a number of places inside. It will probably need new bellows in the future. This is reflected in the asking price below. Metal Ended 32 button - £1800 + postage – MP3 at https://soundcloud.com/microbot-2/lachenal-anglo-32-button-cg-concertina Rosewood 30 button - £1300 + postage -- Mp3 at https://soundcloud.com/microbot-2/rosewood-lachenal-30-button-anglo-concertina-in-cg I don’t know what the limit is for photos on C.net so I’ll put up just a couple of photos of each instrument ... I can post/send more if required. If you are interested, please contact me by pm. The customary donation to Cnet will be made if a sale results. Mike Rowbotham (UK based)

Hi Lachenal/R, I've attached another photo of the left end - this time the photo is taken full-on. You can see the 'radial' layout of the 5+6 buttons quite clearly. The accidental button is the far right on top (6) row. I should also say that the concertina has now been sold to a member of the forum, capable of undertaking the restoration and with a special interest in Scates. I am delighted with this. A donation will be made to the forum, of course. thanks to all Mike R

Hi Ken, OK sorry ... here's the link... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272888599077?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649 cheers Mike R

Hi everyone! I'm starting a new thread regarding a concertina I am currently selling on Ebay .... I'm putting the information in this 'History' section as this is not an attempt by me to promote its sale. It's not a high-value instrument and I am genuinely interested in the history of the instrument and its maker. Whilst I still have it, people can ask questions on points I may not have covered and I can check the instrument. Really, I should have done this before putting it up for sale, but I expected the Ebay listing to attract attention and there to be some C.net discussion. Nothing's happened on Cnet, though loads of people have viewed it. Maybe the instrument is not as interesting or unusual as I thought - anyway, here's the info ... I'll try and upload some photos too. cheers Mike Rowbotham "Joseph Scates Anglo Concertina 22 button in A/E, for restoration A most unusual 22 button anglo concertina with beautiful rosewood ends and gold embossed bellows. This concertina requires full restoration to be made playable. The instrument has historical interest. It is labelled on the outside as being made by Joseph Scates and similarly on a label inside, along with the address 27 College Green, Dublin where Scates is known to have lived and worked during the 1850s. The reedplates and frame/ends of the concertina are stamped internally with the serial number 1641. The inner label also carries this number in hand-script. Joseph Scates is best known for making English concertinas – so far as I can discover, the anglo concertinas that carry his name are often attributed to George Jones. This anglo concertina has many unusual features, which may justify regarding it as genuinely being by Scates, although I am no authority on these matters. Inside, the concertina has the ‘pillar’ action and square ended reed-frames that are found in many of the English concertinas attributed to Scates. The pitch/tuning of A/E, plus the curious positioning of the notes and buttons is certainly unusual. The only early George Jones 22 button Anglo I can find (the ‘Concertina Museum Collection’) has a normal 5+5 layout to the buttons on each end, with the accidental as a clear ‘extra’ button. By contrast, this Scates anglo has the buttons spread evenly in a 5+6 radial layout; thus the standard ‘rake’ of buttons between the 2 rows is not present. The pitch is A/E with a single ‘accidental’ button on each side, playing F/G (6th button on the left) and Bb/C (1st button on the right). The bellows are in good condition with no apparent leaks, the reeds are all present (mostly brass; a few steel tongues) and the action is complete and intact; HOWEVER many of the pads and springs leak or are broken. The springs, pads and valves would all need to be replaced – also the hand-straps - to make the instrument playable. Apart from the need for a full overhaul, the concertina is in pretty good condition; there are a few small pieces of the fretwork missing and the right hand fretwork has been repaired at some time. Also, one end-bolt has partially broken, though it still operates."